Ankylosing Spondylitis

[From Pastor Ed… September 2 and 9]

It's been about 13 months since Marcie and I flew out to Tucson from Tennessee to interview with Dove Mountain Church! Here's a lesser-known story from that trip, and how it has had a major impact on my life.

The Session and Search Committee had seen fit to rent a car for Marcie and I to use while here, so on that Monday, prior to going to the airport, we had to return that rental. Bob an Kim Ritt met us at the rental office, and we loaded into their van to ride out to the airport. I was glad for one more opportunity to interact with Dove Mountain folks before leaving.

I could tell when we got in the van that something was troubling Kim; this was toward the beginning of the time of her father's (still ongoing) battle with cancer, and I supposed that perhaps this was what I detected. However, while en route she received a phone call. Without trying to eavesdrop, I nevertheless heard her say something to the effect of, "that's not the diagnosis you wanted." Her heavy-heartedness seemed to increase after that call, though she still generously gave us her attention.

A few days later, in an e-mail including other matters, I asked Kim about that phone call; I wanted to know if there was some particular way I could pray for her. She told me that her daughter, Katie, had been diagnosed with something called AnkylosingSpondylitis, which Katie's father also had, and that it would likely mean lifelong complications for Katie.

Backing Up…

Before this point, I had been having trouble with my back for about two years. At first it was just gradually-increasing pain and stiffness, but eventually it reached the point where I had physical trouble getting out of bed each morning — I had to use a hiking staff that I own to push myself up with my arms, as my legs and lower back couldn't do it. Interestingly, though I could barely walk upon rising from bed, by the time I hobbled to the bathroom I didn't need the staff anymore, and by the end of my shower I was "loosened up" enough that I could move (mostly) normally, though with pain at times — particularly when I had been immobile for a while. There were other complications too, and I tried a number of different approaches to handle them.

Eventually I went to the doctor, when it became clear that this was more than just stiffness or temporary muscle tears or something, and that things like ordinary stretching wouldn't address it. One doctor I saw gave me steroids, which offered some temporary relief from some of the pain, and initially explored a diagnosis of gout. Another doctor didn't dismiss gout outright, but upon closer examination of x-rays believed I was dealing (mostly) with a combination of early-onset arthritis in my back, along with extreme tightness in a cluster of muscles in my back and upper thighs.

I started a standard anti-inflammatory drug for arthritis, and also went to a Physical Therapist for a couple of months. He taught me a battery of stretches to do every day, and also assigned me some workouts using specific machines (which I did at a local fitness center). Occasionally I missed one of my doses for the anti-inflammatory drug, and I could "feel" it when I did: I was stiffer and a bit sore. More or less, though, the pain was significantly reduced — almost eliminated — and I figured that we had kicked it.

During a few weeks of travel, however (when I was away from the gym and not as attentive to stretching), some of the pain came back as well as some new pains. This was actually right before interviewing in Tucson — some of the pain gave me a bit of difficulty during my interview weekend, but mercifully it wasn't too bad. Still, this time resuming my stretching and exercise machines didn't address it as effectively, and one of the new pains (in the ball-joint of my hip) made it very difficult to do some of the exercises I was used to doing, like walking on a treadmill.

Picking Up Where We Left Off

My response to Kim was yes, of course I would pray, and I was sorry for Katie's diagnosis. Meanwhile, I had no idea what Ankylosing Spondylitis (or AS) was, so I Googled it; I thought it would be helpful to know a little bit about the trouble that my (hopeful, at that point) future fellow staff member's daughter had.

In reading through the descriptions and symptoms of the disease, I was floored; one of the websites I visited listed some basic symptoms that indicated likely diagnosis:

• Onset is usually under 35 years of age
• Pain persists for more than 3 months (i.e., it is chronic)
• The back pain and stiffness worsen with immobility, especially at night and early morning
• The back pain and stiffness tends to ease with physical activity and exercise
• Positive response to NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)

There were other symptoms, I found: pain in the lower back, buttocks, and sometimes knees, ankles, and other joints; onset was "insidious" (slow coming on, rather than "acute" or sudden); it mostly manifests in men; it can cause increased fatigue and reduction of energy. ALL of these symptoms described me. (There is also a genetic marker that 60% of men who have AS also have, so they believe the two to be related in some way.)

The more I read about it, the more I saw myself in the descriptions. A few days later, I told Marcie, "you know me— I'm not typically a hypochondriac, looking for a disease to own. But I'm about 95% sure that this disease is what I have."

What do we do about it, she asked? I told her I would need to see a Rheumatologist, who would give a firm diagnosis, and that I thought it would take a while to get an appointment. By this point, I had accepted the call to move to Tucson, and thought it might be best to wait until we moved. Meanwhile, though: if this IS what I had, then treatment usually consisted of an anti-inflammatory drug, stretching, and exercise — all things I was already doing. So it probably wouldn't hurt to wait.

I still had this increasing trouble with my hip though; soon enough I went back to my doctor about it, and while there I mentioned my suspicions about AS. She looked at my x-rays again, and said my spine looked like a textbook case for it. She wanted to do the bloodworm required to look for the genetic marker, but agreed that I should definitely see a Rheumatologist when I get to Tucson.

Confirmation

It turned out that I didn't have the genetic marker, but that doesn't rule out AS as a diagnosis. I still needed to see a Rheumatologist.

Shortly after we moved, I was talking with a Deacon whose wife has Lupus; she has seen nearly every Rheumatologist in Tucson! I told him this story, and he offered to ask his wife to help me get an appointment with her doctor. She called the next day, and had spoken to her doctor's office manager; they had agreed to take me on as a patient. I needed to call the office manager to set up an appointment.

When I called — on a Wednesday — I was told that, technically, the doctor wasn't accepting new patients, and his next regular appointment was in April (this was early November). However, they would try to work me in sooner.

She called back on Friday: they had an appointment for me on the following Tuesday! So in I went, and began to confirm the diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Officially in late winter, the word came back: I do, in fact, have AS.

What This Means

AS is not curable; as of now, it appears that I will always have this disease. Once upon a time, this meant that I would eventually become severely stooped and immobilized as my back did strange things. Richard Riley, who was Governor of South Carolina when I was a kid, had AS; he died in 2001, and essentially he suffocated from his back bending him over so much. AS is not easy on the body.

More recently, however, some great advances have come about. While it can't be cured, there are medications available that treat many of the symptoms drastically. My doctor has told me that, using certain drugs, I could basically be symptom-free.

These drugs have complicating side-effects, though, and I'm not ready to start them. For now, exercise, stretching, and my regular anti-inflammatory drug are largely sufficient. My pain is well-managed, and most days I have very little struggle with it.

It does impact my life in some significant ways. When I was in high school, I played basketball and ran track and cross-country; now, I can't do either, because they are high-impact sports. I have trouble with long walks (like many hiking trails), and I wonder about things like shooting sports (I used to be an avid hunter) and how they would affect my back.

Overall, I'm blessed that my AS doesn't affect me more than it does. While AS isn't common, I've met several others who have it (or someone in their family does); I'm aware that others struggle with their AS much more than I do mine. While I pray for their healing and recovery, I'm also thankful that my AS isn't nearly as bad as it could be.

I don't have any reason to believe that AS will keep me from doing what is most important to me: enjoying my family, serving the church as a pastor, writing, playing music. I have a good life, and I'm grateful for what I have.

If you think of it, I would be grateful for your prayers: that my symptoms would continue to be manageable, that I wouldn't be hindered from serving God or others, and thanksgiving for how God has provided great support and care for me throughout all of this.

Books for late Summer 2012 (late July thru August)

This list starts with the books I read during our vacation in late-July, and finishes out the summer.

Through Painted Deserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road by Donald Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What hasn’t heard of Donald Miller in the last 6 or 8 years? After hitting the scene with the still-popular Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality, he continues to be a known and respected writer in the Christian sub-culture.

I own Blue Like Jazz, but I’ve never read it. Through Painted Deserts was my first Donald Miller memoir; perhaps that’s fitting, since it is essentially a re-edited edition of HIS first Donald Miller memoir, Prayer And The Art Of Volkswagen Maintenance. It’s clear to me now why he’s so popular: Miller is a skilled, engaging writer who uses words descriptively and economically. Thus, at the end of the book you don’t feel like your time has been wasted; rather, you feel that you’ve been treated to some time with a gifted story-teller.

Through Painted Deserts is Miller’s tale of a road-trip, a season of introspection, a consideration of love, and the testing and probing of faith. There’s something a bit cliché about some of these memes, yet there's enough that is fresh and/or well-told that would lead to giving up on it. A few moments suggest hyperbole, but most of what he offers is plausible through the gritty and honest portrayal.

I liked Through Painted Deserts fine, and the fact that I got a copy for free (during an Amazon Kindle promotion) helped me like it a bit more — at least, I never had to wonder, why did I spend my money on this one? I don’t think I would have thought that anyway; the book was good enough, though not great enough to live up to the Donald Miller hype.

I’ll likely read another Miller memoir, as I enjoyed his writing enough to give one of his better-known titles a try.



Prophet Of The Sun by Russell Blanchard Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Russell Smith presents, in Prophet of the Sun a fun, engaging tale of a man searching for purpose, and finding it among the tangled knots of intrigue and adventure. Pulling together honest struggles of faith, tensions of betrayal and true friendship, and a knowledge of history and archaeology, Smith offers a story that any reader will find enjoyable and satisfying.

As a pastor, I can relate to the protagonist Calvin Poteat, himself a Presbyterian minister. Cal spends an evening with a life-long friend, and suddenly finds himself in a fast-paced and challenging puzzle. Russell Smith makes able use of his expertise in ancient eastern cultures, yet, it is done in a manner that isn’t ostentatious or showy. Anyone with the least interest in history will find the many real-life truths both intriguing and useful to advance the story. Smith also folds in many clever references to popular culture — enough, in fact, that a fan could create a reader’s game, of sorts, in which one spots for pop culture references.

I liked Prophet of the Sun a lot, and it was a perfect book to read during vacation: playful and entertaining without leaving me feeling as though I had wasted time.



Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having read Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life years ago, I was familiar with Anne Lamott’s delightful writing style, and thought Traveling Mercies would be a good one to take on vacation. I was right.

Lamott tells of her coming to faith, and of her ongoing struggles with faith, in this memoir. It is fresh with honesty and frankness, almost to a fault; her sometimes-coarse language may make many fellow believers squeamish. Nevertheless, it is an encouraging read for believers who may struggle to know whether they are the only ones who doubt, fear, yell at their kids, find subtle hints of God’s presence uplifting, wrestle to know how to pray, or feel sadness when others may think the grief should have passed; they are not. Anne Lamott reveals herself to us as a kindred spirit in these.

A friend asked me recently about Lamott, particularly because some of her views and beliefs are on the, shall we say, far-left side of the path of orthodoxy. Was she missing something, my friend asked? Well, set aside the more obvious hints of syncretism, the liberal politics, the feminist streak, and the open adoration of her female pastor — all of which might make many evangelicals squirm — and you have a sister in Christ who’s not that different from you. Truth is, most American Christians have their own hints of syncretism, embrace of theologically-liberal ideas that suit our preferences, and social/political opinions that she hold more closely than perhaps we ought; it’s only that most of us do a good job of keeping these secret and hidden.

Anne Lamott sees no need for such pretense. As a result, Traveling Mercies will show us someone who we recognize as both familiar and, at times, a bit more unvarnished than we think is polite. But I think most of us could use a little more of that.



Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven’t read very many biographies; to be perfectly frank, I’m not much of a history buff, and most biographies are either about celebrities (no interest there) or people from history (not much more interest there). Thus, I confess it is a genre of books I’m relatively new to, and if Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs is any measure, I like it a lot.

Perhaps at the other end of the interest-spectrum from history is, for me, Apple Co. and Steve Jobs. I grew up in a world where we learned to program Basic on Apple IIe computers in elementary school, and learned to type on them in middle school. I’ve been a Mac user since the very early 90s, and our house is full of Apple devices; I’ve also done some professional consulting for Apple users, and followed the company with interest for years. I always appreciated Jobs’ flair for creative products and creative announcements of them, and admired him (though not uncritically) as a business leader.

Because of all of this, I knew much of the most skeletal outlines of this book, but having the gaps filled in with details was rich and fascinating. Isaacson is a masterful biographer, and organized the material wonderfully; his writing style is also skilled and engaging. Jobs was such an iconic leader in so many ways that, naturally, his story is interesting to read.

Marcie asked me whether she would like it; I told her that, if she ever wanted to get inside my longstanding fascination with Apple and Jobs, this book would help her connect the dots. With that said, I don’t think she would read it— nor would she necessarily enjoy it if she did. This book isn’t for everyone, by any stretch. It is sort of like taking a road trip across the country in a coupe: only those with a certain amount of affection and interest for one another will be able to handle the whole trip. Likewise, if you are indifferent toward Jobs or Apple, you probably won’t make it across the Mississippi.

For fans, connoisseurs, and admirers of Apple products or Steve Jobs, however: you will find this book quite satisfactory.



We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry by G.K. Beale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one is both thorough and rich; as a biblical theology should be, Beale looks long and hard at what the Bible says about idolatry and idol-worship, and especially how it is formative to our souls, how it shapes our lives and our understanding of the world around us.

Beale’s grasp of biblical theology doesn’t need my endorsement — clearly he is accomplished and skilled at both understanding and teaching the Scriptures to us. No less so in We Become What We Worship: Beale is attentive to be exhaustive, or as close as one can get, to examining every passage that contains a whiff of teaching on idolatry. Meanwhile, he is so personable and readable as he does so; the book is written in first-person, which is a departure from standard academic style in nonfiction texts, but it serves well to allow his pastoral voice to really shine through.

Someone looking only at the title, or who failed to consider the nature of a book self-described as a “biblical theology,” might believe that they would be picking up a book full of guidance on both how we are idolaters (which would be correct) AND how we might worship rightly and with God as the object of our worship (which would be, well, less correct). Beale IS instructive at points, and more directly toward the end, in a more positive construction of right worship. Nevertheless, this IS a biblical theology, and its focus is on idolatry.

I found much to take away from Beale’s book, and several good “reflection quotes” that I’ll use in my preaching. Anyone with a serious interest in studying Scripture would find this book both profitable and easy to read.


Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Overall, I enjoyed this memoir-ish book (the author himself disclaims that it’s not exactly a memoir, in that it contains accounts that may be inaccurate due to the fact that he was four when the events happened!) and found it a worthwhile read.

As a fellow reader has remarked, he deals with troubles in his own past including an alcoholic parent, difficulties with alcoholism and drug abuse in his own life, and other troubles — but he handles these fairly indirectly, rather than giving a play-by-play or a rehashing of every time his drunk father abused him, etc. Thus, those looking for a detailed account of alcoholism in a family will be disappointed.

Likewise, despite the title, the book is not about the CIA, not really. His father’s involvement with the CIA plays into the account peripherally, but had it been omitted entirely then the thrust of this book would not have missed it.

What you DO get in this book is a good look at a troubled kid wrestling with truths — family truths, personal truths, spiritual truths — as he grows and deals with his own humanity and that of those around him. This author is an engaging writer and develops his own story well, with honesty and even frankness at times. He has the tendency to occasionally digress (in order to tell back-story, for example) for longer than is helpful to maintain the original stream of thought. Nevertheless, he has an enjoyable voice and writing style, and I would read more by him given the opportunity. I look forward to checking out his book Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale.

Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before (and After) You Marry by Leslie Parrott III

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When Marcie and I got married, this was the book (along with the corresponding workbooks) that our pastor used for pre-marital counseling. Ever since I started doing pre-marital counseling, it’s the book that I’ve used, as well. I am finishing up another round of pre-marital counseling this week, and thus I’ve re-read to book again.

The Parrotts (husband and wife writing team) work through several vital questions that, I can say with some experience, are indeed important questions for setting a marriage on a healthy course. The chapters addressing each question are full of very practical illustrations and examples, and also are chock-full of advice and direction on how to handle the particular matters at hand in a healthy way. The book itself has a useful set of discussion questions at the end of each chapter, and then there are also breaks throughout the chapters pointing the reader to complete a correlated exercise in the workbook. In all, the material is very practical and straightforward to use.

On top of that, there is a leader’s guide and a DVD available, so it could easily be adapted for small group use, and obviously I’ve found it works well in the context of pre-marital counseling also. All in all, I commend Les and Leslie Parrott for writing and assembling a strong battery of materials for helping marriages get off to the best start possible.

Most of the examples and illustrations in the book are personal ones from the writers’ own experiences, which is fine and even brings a sense of vulnerability to the book. Frequently, though, the way these are presented — or at times other parts of the material — is a little corny, and were it not for the disarming nature of their writing style might feel even condescending. Also, while it seems clear from a handful of markers that the writers are Christians, it also seems clear that their editors wanted to produce a set of materials that would sell on a broader market; consequently, there are a lot of missed opportunities when it comes to presenting solid, biblical truths that correspond to the points they are making.

Indeed, the books’ persistent erring on the side of the practical and universal keeps me from simply loving it/them as my pre-marital counseling curriculum. It seems like every other time I do pre-marital counseling, I look around for something better, but I haven’t found it yet. I would love to assign TWO books, including this one and one of several others (each of which tackles the more deeply spiritual and theological side of this topic well, but miss the more practical aspects that the Parrotts do so well); alas, it usually feels like asking too much to request that an engaged couple do even one.

I do like these books for what they are; my rating is, in part, a reflection of my frustration about pre-marital counseling materials in general.


View all my reviews

Sermons for September. 2012

Starting in September, we will begin a new sermon series at Dove Mountain Church: for the next several months, we’ll be considering the topic of “Worship” and how God would teach us about worship from His Word. Here’s the list of the first months’ worth of sermons from this series:

• 9/2/2012 — Deuteronomy 6:1-9 (We Worship What We Love)
• 9/9/2012 — Psalm 86 (Why We Worship)
• 9/16/2012 — Hebrews 4:1-16 (What Happens when We Worship, 1: Ascension into Heaven)
• 9/23/2012 — Leviticus 9:1-24 (What Happens when We Worship, 2: Covenant Renewal)
• 9/30/2012 — Psalm 115 (What Happens when We Worship, 3: The Work of Worship)

Revisiting "Inconsistency and Sharia Law" — the Todd Akin test case

About a year ago, I blogged about the Christian culture's inconsistency with regard to the restriction of "Sharia" law (a critique that is generally true about political conservatives, too). I want to come back to that topic, and demonstrate a bit further what I mean by it.

I said then that, "where my concern is today is that the broader laws, restricting any reference to "foreign" laws, are problematic in their inconsistency" and later claimed that, "the problem is that the laws being passed that restrict any reference to 'foreign' laws implicitly do two things at once: first, they erect a view of religious law as inherently "foreign…" [and] second, they establish a precedent that reference to religious law has no place in a constitutionally-sound court system— or alternatively, anyone who is informed by their religious laws is unfit to serve in the courts."

I concluded that, "if 'foreign laws' include Sharia, which is derived from the Quran, then it is only a matter of time before they also include, by definition, the 10 Commandments or any other ethical structure based on the Bible." It is this conclusion that I want to focus my attention upon today.

Perhaps you caught wind of the recent political gaffes of U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, who is currently contending for a Senate seat in Missouri. Rep. Akin, a conservative and a Christian who, in expressing his opinion that pregnancy was not often a consequence of rape, made a few unfortunate comments that suggested both that he believed that some rape was legitimate and that women have a unique biological defense against pregnancy in such cases. Rep. Akin later apologized for his comments, and essentially recanted his statement — at least insofar as it suggested these particular claims.

Cutting to the heart of the matter: Rep. Akin was responding to a direct question about whether women who become pregnant by being raped should have the option of abortion. His clear position — and that of many other conservatives, including many Christians — is that abortion is never an ethical option or choice. This position is the result of his convictions as a Christian about the sanctity of life and the unethical nature of abortion. These, too, are shared by many conservatives and Christians.

Rep. Akin doesn't hide his connection to my denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, nor the fact that he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Covenant Theological Seminary, the PCA's denominational seminary (and the same institution that I graduated from. These are plainly noted on his campaign website, in the "Bio" section.

The connection of Rep. Akin's faith and convictions, and his PCA background and affiliation, to his position on abortion — and, indeed, to his statement, however poorly expressed, in that interview — has not escaped the notice of the media. Indeed, more than one article noted these as contributing factors; and, I would point out, it has not been noted favorably.

One article in particular ("The Theological Roots of Akin's 'Legitimate Rape' Comment" by Sarah Posner, posted on the Religion Dispatches website) goes into detail about the PCA's position papers on "Man's Duty to Protect Woman" (approved by the 2001 General Assembly, speaking to women's service in the military) and on abortion (approved in 1978 by the General Assembly), even quoting sentences and paragraphs from them. Apart from some mild editorializing amongst the quotes and summaries, Posner does not misrepresent the PCA's positions, though she clearly disagrees with them — which is her right.

It is her final conclusion about the matter that gives me pause:

This is not a situation where Akin sat in the pews of the church of a controversial pastor, or once attended a conference or seminar where controversial views were discussed. Akin has a Masters [sic] in Divinity from the PCA’s seminary, and proudly claims he took a political rather than a pastoral path after seminary. His denomination has not only opposed abortion in all cases, including rape, but has suggested that the number of pregnancies by rape is overstated, and even questioned the veracity of rape claims. And Akin, who in a few months could be a United States Senator, wants his religion to dictate our laws.

Did you catch that? Her essential concern isn't so much that Akin holds the views that he does, nor that he derives them from the theological positions of his church. Rather, her concern is about how much his religious views and convictions might shape his service as a Senator.

Sound familiar? This is basically a re-articulation of the exact same concerns that Christians and others espoused about Muslim judges and their belief in the continuing validity of Sharia law. In other words, pretty much what I warned about a year ago. Don't think this an isolated case, either — Salon.com (far from an esoteric or unpopular news source) also picked up on the connections.

I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet; to draw the conclusions I did doesn't require prophecy, just consistency. Christians need to be FOR freedom of religious expression, even when it is the expression of other religions. If we dare to target others in this way, don't think for a second that we won't be next.

On Officer Nominations

[From Pastor Ed… August 19 and 26]

Last month, we closed nominations for new officers for our congregation. At the beginning of June, we invited the congregation to submit their nominations, and we left the nomination time open until mid-July.

These nominations are nothing to take lightly: the Bible has much to say about who should be officers in the church, and what qualifications they should possess. Especially, 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 contain much in the way of instructions for how we are to understand good officer-nominees. Likewise (though not with the same authority), our denomination's Book of Church Order (AKA, the BCO) has a good deal to offer in terms of what the offices (Elder and Deacon) require, and who is fit to serve in them.

Therefore, we had a nomination form that listed these Scripture references, and also included the full text from the BCO describing the offices; then we asked that nominations be offered, including a summary of how the nominee is considered to be qualified, based on these descriptions. We were grateful to receive a number of nominations, with several Deacon-nominees and a few Elder-nominees.

What Happens Next

The Session has received the nominations, and begun to consider them. Our BCO charges the Session with stewarding these nominations, and seeing them through to completion. There are a handful of potential outcomes:

• Some nominations may not be accepted, for various reasons. In my congregation in Tennessee, there was a couple who had attended the church for years, and were quite active; he was quick to lend a hand to others, and frequently involved in service ministries. However, they had never joined the church! Therefore, though he would often receive a nomination as a Deacon, those nominations couldn't be accepted. There may be some circumstances among the nominees at Dove Mountain Church that are similar, and we will notify the nominating party (or parties) about this.
• Some nominees will decline their nominations. Obviously, sometimes life circumstances or other factors will prevent someone from being able to serve when they are asked; this is the case also for officer nominations. We are asking the nominees that we have accepted to defer the decision to accept or decline their nomination until after they have completed officer training; this way, we hope the nature of the office to which they've been nominated will be clearer, and thus they will better discern whether God might be calling them to serve in that capacity.
• Some (we hope, most!) nominations will move into training. Our intention is to take accepted nominees through several months of officer training (more on this in a minute), preparing them for the offices to which they have been nominated.

Officer Training & Examinations

In September, we will begin training our officer-nominees in a training program that will take three months to complete. I will be conducting the training, while relying heavily on the other Elders to help with training, provide input during the discussions, offer examples and case-studies, and so forth.

This training will consist mainly of three topics: "The Character of the Officer" will consider the texts I listed above — 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1 — and other biblical texts that speak specifically to the man and his character. "The Theology of the Officer" will focus on what we believe the Bible teaches, and how our beliefs shape and inform our offices. Finally, "the Work of the Officer" will round out our discussions with discussions about what we are called to do, and how we are biblically required to do it.

Following this season of training, each nominee will be asked whether they accept their nomination, and if they do then they will be examined for the office (or, perhaps, offices — if someone has been nominated for both offices!) they have been nominated. Once again, the BCO offers specific guidelines about what the nominees shall be examined on (in chapter 24, part 1): his Christian experience, especially his personal character and family management; his knowledge of Bible content; his knowledge of the system of doctrine, government, and discipline contained in the Constitution of our denomination (which consists of the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and the Book of Church Order of the PCA); the duties of the office to which he has been nominated; and his willingness to give assent to the questions required for ordination (see below for these).

Officer Candidates

Those nominees who accept their nomination and pass this examination will then be submitted to the congregation as candidates for office. If everything goes according to schedule, we will present a slate of officer-candidates in December, one month in advance of a called congregational meeting to elect officers.

During that month, the congregation should consider this slate of officer-candidates closely and prayerfully. If there is someone on the list that you do not know — or that you have little or no knowledge about, in terms of their leadership or service among our congregation — we would encourage you to seek them out and learn more about them. These men will be ordained to office in Christ's church, and will be charged with the care, shepherding, and oversight of our congregation! It is no small matter to consider.

It is conceivable, too, that someone on the slate of candidates is known to you in ways that might suggest that they are unfit for the office to which they've been nominated. While we hope that this would not happen, it is another reason why we give the notice about officer elections that we do. Should this be the case, we trust that you would talk to the candidate, seeking clarity about your perceptions and, if you believe it necessary, urging him to reconsider the acceptance of the nomination. (And, of course, if you believe him to be in sin and obstinately so, should he not listen to your urgings then we would want you to come to the Session to discuss your concerns.)

Election, Ordination, & Installation

In January (again, if all goes according to plan!), we will have a congregational meeting in which we will elect officers. This is done by vote, and usually by paper ballot. We must have a "quorum" of our congregation present (¼ of resident communing members) to vote properly, and a majority of those present is required to duly elect officers. However, if a large minority is opposed to the election of a particular individual, our BCO says, "the moderator shall endeavor to dissuade the majority from prosecuting it further."

Those who are elected will then be ordained to their office, if they have never served in that office before. We'll do this as part of a worship service in one of the following weeks. Likewise, all new officers (whether ordained then or previously) will also be installed, using the following vows:

1. Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as originally given, to be the inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice?
2. Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith and the Catechisms of this Church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures; and do you further promise that if at any time you find yourself out of accord with any of the fundamentals of this system of doctrine, you will, on your own initiative, make known to your Session the change which has taken place in your views since the assumption of this ordination vow?
3. Do you approve of the form of government and discipline of the Presbyterian Church in America, in conformity with the general principles of biblical polity?
4. Do you accept the office of ruling elder (or deacon, as the case may be) in this church, and promise faithfully to perform all the duties thereof, and to endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your life, and to set a worthy example before the Church of which God has made you an officer?
5. Do you promise subjection to your brethren in the Lord?
6. Do you promise to strive for the purity, peace, unity, and edification of the Church?

The congregation will also be asked to take a vow! It is as follows:

Do you, the members of this church, acknowledge and receive this brother as a ruling elder (or deacon), and do you promise to yield to him all that honor, encouragement, and obedience in the Lord to which his office, according to the Word of God and the Constitution of this Church, entitles him?

This is the process that is to come! It's exciting and gratifying to see new officers established in the Church, and I ask you to join me in praying over the coming months for these things to be fruitful.

The Christian’s Love for the Human Race

“We ought to embrace the whole human race without exception in a single feeling of love; here there is no distinction between barbarian and Greek, worthy and unworthy, friend and enemy, since all should be contemplated in God, not in themselves. When we turn aside from such contemplation, it is no wonder we become entangled in many errors.

Therefore, if we rightly direct our love, we must first turn our eyes not to man, the sight of whom would more often engender hate than love, but to God, who bids us extend to all men the love we bear to Him, that this may be an unchanging principle: Whatever the character of the man, we must yet love him because we love God.”

~ John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, John T. McNeill, ed, Ford Lewis Battles, trans, Library of Christian Classics (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960 [1559]), 2.8.55.

Praying for Dove Mountain Church

Over the coming months, Lord willing, Dove Mountain Church will be preparing for some significant changes: we’ve voted as a congregation to seek a new location, more permanent than meeting at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy, that would allow us an established worship space and to facilitate ministries throughout the week.

Members of our congregation ask me about this often, and the questions are usually in one of two forms: Is anything happening with our move? and, How could I be involved in it?

The answer to the first is always fluid; some weeks it seems like nothing happens, and others exciting things happen. We’re still looking for a place that would suit us, and it is proving harder than we hoped. We are undaunted, however, and hope to see concrete fruit of our labors soon.

The answer to the second is almost always the same: PRAY! Sometimes this is obviously unsatisfying, but it is nevertheless the best way that ANY interested party could be involved.

To encourage prayer for our congregation — and especially for our transition — I prepared a guide of suggested prayers, and distributed it this past Sunday. Here are some ways you could pray daily for Dove Mountain Church…

General Prayers

Sunday: Outreach / New Believers

• For members’ opportunities to invite friends to church
• For the unconverted to come to faith through our ministries
• For new believers to engage in healthy discipleship

Monday: Established Ministries

• For God to guide us in wisdom as we minister to one another
• For those involved in our ministries to grow spiritually
• For those who lead to be effective & faithful in leadership

Tuesday: Community Involvement Opportunities

• For our congregation to be known & valued by our community
• For the effectiveness of members who serve in our community 
• For new opportunities to serve and embrace our community

Wednesday: Officers (Pastor, Ruling Elders, Deacons)

• For our Deacons to minister and serve our congregation well
• For our Elders to lead and shepherd faithfully
• For Pastor Ed’s preaching, teaching, counseling, & prayer ministries

Thursday: Future Ministries

• For wisdom about new opportunities & endeavors
• For open doors to develop relationships with partner ministries
• For able leadership & sustained growth of new ministries

Friday: Financial Provision

• For sustenance & increasing faith & faithfulness of our body
• For God’s abundant provision for our needs
• For wise & capable stewardship of the resources we have

Saturday: Corporate Worship

• For our collective preparation for worship
• For our communion with God to be rich & renewing
• For those who will lead in worship to be ably prepared

Transition Prayers

Sunday: Growth in Outreach

• For a new facility to increase our opportunities for outreach
• For new relationships in local communities unto Gospel ministry
• For sustained growth numerically for the sake of the Gospel

Monday: Extension of Ministries

• That a new facility would extend our existing ministries effectively
• For our “place” to become a means to deeper discipleship
• For ministry leaders to know how to wisely utilize facilities

Tuesday: Deeper Community Involvement

• That a “permanent” location would open new doors in the community
• For new connections & relationships with surrounding-area businesses, organizations, & churches
• That we would become known as a church “for” our community

Wednesday: Wisdom in Direction

• For discernment as we consider possible locations & buildings
• For guidance, leadership, & provision from God
• That negotiations would go smoothly & settle quickly

Thursday: New Ministry Opportunities

• That new discipleship ministry opportunities would arise
• For the building up of our congregation through transition
• For growing relationships with sister congregations

Friday: Provision for Our Needs

• For a new location to open up to us soon
• For the financial needs for a new building/location to be met
• For unknown factors to be met in advance by God’s will

Saturday: Deepening Worship

• That a new location would enrich our worship
• For deepened & stronger community through worship
• For worship space adequate for our current & future needs

Thank you for the fellowship of your prayers.

"LORD" in the Psalms (and elsewhere)

[From Pastor Ed on August 5 and August 12, 2012]

Frequently in the Psalms, we see the word "LORD" spelled out in either all capital letters or in what is called "small caps". What does this mean?

In the Hebrew language, there are two words that are commonly rendered in English translations as "lord": the first, a common word, adon (from which we get the name of God "Adonai") is translated "lord" and means lord or master, as in "the lord of the manor" or some sort of leader and overseer. This word could refer to men of some higher status, as in the lord of the house (to someone in the household), a governor, or the king. Of course, it can also refer to God, because He is the Lord over all! But it does not bear any specific or personal meaning.

The second word that is translated "Lord" is the Hebrew name for God, Yahweh (or Jehovah)— sometimes called the "tetragrammaton" (literally, the "four letters") because it is constructed simply of the four consonants: J/Y, H, W/V, and H. Because the Hebrew people considered this name to be so holy that they would never say it or write it out fully— lest they be in violation of the third commandment— we don't actually know what vowels would have been inserted between these consonants! (This is why it could be Yahweh or Jehovah.) Instead, they would just use the consonants to represent this name.

The earliest translators saw fit to translate this word also as "Lord", probably because they recognized that, as the name of the Lord of all, it was fitting that the title also be His name. (Similar to how we would never presume such familiarity with a king or president to call him by his first name, but would simply say "King".) But as a distinction from the word adon, the name began to be rendered in the all-caps or small-caps way that we see it.

This word, the name of God, isn't like any other name that we find for Him in the Old Testament. It isn't uncommon to find references to other gods, especially in reference to idol-worshipping practices, but these would have names of their own (like Ba'al, which is the name of a specific idol-god). Yahweh, however, was the name of the God above all gods— the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Furthermore, the name Yahweh is given to His people in a certain context. Abraham is told this name, Yahweh, when God declares to him (in Genesis 15:7): "I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” Moses is told this name when he is instructed in how the Israelites would know that it was God who sent him (in Exodus 3:15): Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."

In short: the name Yahweh always indicated, not just that the Lord of lords was the One meant by the name, but the God of Abraham— the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God. He describes Himself in this way, when He appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai and identified Himself (in Exodus 34:6-7): "The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Therefore, when we encounter "LORD" in the Psalms (and elsewhere in Scripture), we need to recognize this important and faith-building distinction of Who it is that is spoken of: it is Yahweh, our covenant God!

Books for June and most of July, 2012

Because of our vacation at the end of July (spanning into August), I don't expect to be in a position to complete this list in a way that would include the books I finish while on vacation! Coupled with the fact that I've missed a month or so, and the date range here is an odd one. Nevertheless…

(I've already included my survey of resources on 1 Peter, which I guess technically counts in this category.)

All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir by Brennan Manning

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really liked Manning’s memoir, and found it to be a great encouragement to me, both as a writer and as a minister.

When I was in college, Manning’s books (especially Ragamuffin Gospel and Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging) were in vogue with my fellow Young Life leaders, but I never quite got around to reading as much of him as my peers. Still, I was deeply aware of the sense of personal brokenness and need that was present in this man’s rich writings, and I valued that extremely.

I can’t fully agree with some of the other readers/raters who want to give Manning lower ratings because he has continued to struggle with his sinful patterns (including divorce and alcoholism) throughout his life. Let’s face it: all of us struggle with sin all of our lives! If we expect authors, teachers, and pastors to be above such struggles, we will always be disappointed. I find Manning’s frank dealing with his own sin (in this memoir and in other books) to be refreshing in that way.



The Virtue of Dialogue: Conversation as a Hopeful Practice of Church Communities by C. Christopher Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I liked the topic and appreciated the simple, narrative description of what the author’s congregation had done, why they had done it, and how they believe it has been profitable to them. The book wasn’t preachy or prescriptive in any way, but the author sought to encourage other congregations to follow suit for the sake of the benefits that seem inherent to the approaches to community life they have embraced.

The book was written clearly and in a manner that was quite readable; I didn’t want for a better editor (or an editor at all!) as I do often in such “practical theology” books.

While I liked the book and found it readable, for whatever reason it didn’t stand out to me as a “must-read” for me or for my leaders. I certainly don’t recommend against it(!), but neither do I feel like this must take priority over the many other books that I wish to put before my congregation’s leadership.



Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life by Douglas Wilson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I liked Wilson’s book very much. It's well-written, which you would hope and expect, both because of the topic and the author; it’s also well-structured and quite economical in terms of “price-earnings ratio” if you will. This was a quick read, but not without great value and encouragement.







Operation Family Secrets: How a Mobster's Son and the FBI Brought Down Chicago's Murderous Crime Family by Frank Calabrese Jr.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Like many other readers, I heard an NPR interview with the author, Frank Calabrese Jr., in which he discussed the events he describes in detail in the book. Here’s a man who turned against his “made-man” mobster father and helped the FBI, then elected NOT to enter witness protection after. I was struck by one particular moment in the interview when questioned how he feels about the fact that, if his father should ever get out of prison, his father may come looking for him? His response was simply that, if his father finds him and kills him, that’s his father’s choice; meanwhile, HIS conscience is clear.

The book does a good job of elaborating on this interesting story, while also keeping the pace moving at a good clip. At times there may be more detail about gangster activity than some may prefer (though not me, as I’ve always had an inexplicable pet interest in organized crime). The language is a bit coarse at times, too — though one may think, what should I expect from Chicago mobsters?

In all, the book is a believable, yet remarkable, account of how one man stood against his family in a way that mattered. There’s nothing about the story that leads me to believe that the author did what he did out of motivation for some level of ethics, religious experience, or anything other than simply that he recognized that this was a life he could no longer lead— and he loved his father enough to see that the life would kill him, too, if he were ever to get out of jail. Basically, he loved himself and his father too much to allow either to continue in what he had come to know as a lifestyle incompatible with living.

If you like mob stories, you’d probably like this book.


View all my reviews

Bits & Tidbits, Midsummer 2012 edition

Here's a look at some of the better/more interesting/funnier/more profound articles and blog posts I've read in the last little while…

• Criticizing Poorly and Poorly Criticized. Strong and pastoral advice here from Zack Eswine, and a great check on how we consider each other (especially those we disagree with).
  
• Christian Bookstores and Their Chokehold on the Industry. This is a real problem that needs to be addressed— but first it must be identified and acknowledged more widely, and this blog post does a great job. I don't agree with Rachel Held Evans across the board, but she gets it right here.
  
• Microsoft's Downfall: Inside the Executive E-mails and Cannibalistic Culture That Felled a Tech Giant. Wow— who knew (outside of Microsoft, that is) that their culture was this cut-throat? This article explains a lot.
  
• For All Doug Wilson's Theological Acumen. Keen and humble insight into the ongoing spat between Doug Wilson, Rachel Held Evans, and a few others regarding, basically, egalitarianism and its defensibility in the Church. Thanks for a sane voice in this, Matt.
  
• The Secret Genius of Car Talk. Perhaps you've heard that this long-running NPR radio show is stopping production of new episodes this fall. Here's an interesting look at what makes this unlikely success such a winner.
  
• Who Draws the Line? So vital that Christians regain a better understanding of this; thanks to Sean for his clear, concise explanation of the important place and nature of the local church.
  
• The 11 Most Unintentionally Hilarious Religious Paintings. These are really a wince-inducing combination of strange and funny. Definitely worth a look, and a laugh, but not much else.